Izoven: Inferno

Chapter 2

Emery Wright wasn't one to back down from a challenge. Ever. 

This wasn't the exception. 

She knew she was at a disadvantage in fights involving magic, especially if it was against Theo, who had incredible control over his fireborn abilities. Even then, she held hope that she'd beat him. The points were now tallied to ten to five, in favor of the prince. Today, hopefully, it'd be ten to six.

Emery had been practicing on her own whenever she could, but she had little time to spare between potion and casting training. Her understanding of fire and magical combat had improved, but it still couldn't hold a candle to Prince Theodore.

The two treaded up a familiar dirt path in the Bellenau woods. Emery could barely see the ground between the blanket of leaves that'd formed on the forest floor. Not that she needed to see the path anyways; she knew this road by heart. 

A small clearing came into view past two particularly large oaks. Once coated in purple flowers, the clearing ground was now either scorched to a coal-black—a product from their constant fights—or orange and yellow from the season. 

Emery jogged her way inside the space and dropped her bag by a familiar pine. 

After shrugging off her thick coat and throwing it atop her things, she spun around and asked, "Alright . . . You ready?" 

"Are you?" he teased, lazily shoving his hands in his pockets and tilting his head. "I've been working on a new technique. I'm pretty sure this spar's going to be a short one."

She scowled. "Don't be too sure."

Theo laughed as he stepped closer, stopping a foot away. As always, she held one hand to the key charm hanging on her necklace and the other against his chest.

With eyes pinched shut, Emery whispered, "Praesidium," and watched as the key burst out into blue flame, growing and growing until it swallowed them up. The azure fire whirled around them like an ocean wave, before disappearing in a puff of smoke. 

"Did it work?" she asked as she opened her eyes. 

"Let's see." Theo raised a hand and snapped his fingers together, causing a small flame the size of a walnut to appear in the palm of his hand. She followed suit. "Three . . . Two . . . One."

On the count of one, they grasped each other's forearms and watched as the flame fizzled out against the thin layer of protection Emery had created. Entirely painless. 

"You're getting better at that." He let her go and walked to one edge of the clearing, with a confident, relaxed swagger. "Sad your fighting's still crap."

Emery walked to the other edge, blocking out his words and trying hard to focus. Her hands were balled up into tight fists as her heart began to pound faster. I can't let him psych me out. 

Once she'd reached her corner of the clearing, she took a deep breath and turned. 

Their eyes met. 

They shared a nod.

And it began. 

In an instant, Theo's gaze shifted into a focused glare. Emery prepared a large fireball in her hand before he started forwards in a quick run. She pitched the flames forwards when Theo tucked and rolled right under it. 

"How basic," he huffed out as he jumped back up and raised both hands. Pellets of fire rose from his palms at great speed, directly at her. 

Left with no choice but to counter, she held her hands up and redirected the small comets to the center of her palms, forming two large balls of flame. Her muscles twitched under the pressure of holding the fire still and keeping it alive. It wouldn't touch her, but the intense heat just inches away from her face made her twitch and lose her focus. By the time his attacks stopped, the flames had reduced to half their size.